Anheuser-Busch InBev welcomes the European Commission’s report on the mandatory labelling of the list of ingredients and the nutrition declaration for alcoholic beverages

The European Commission adopted today a report on the mandatory labelling of the list of ingredients and the nutrition declaration for alcoholic beverages. The Commission invites the alcoholic beverages' industry to develop, within a year, a self-regulatory proposal aiming to provide information on ingredients and nutrition of all alcoholic beverages.

As the world’s leading brewer, we welcome this initiative, following the company’s voluntary move in 2015 to provide consumers in Europe with full ingredients information and nutritional values (the ‘Big 7’: energy values, fat, saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and salt) for its beers; both on labelling and online. By doing so, the company is responding to a growing consumer expectation for better nutritional information in Europe. This is a voluntary initiative supported by The Brewers of Europe, including AB InBev and two other major European brewers.

We are a main driving force behind this initiative. We have a responsibility to our consumers to clearly provide nutritional and ingredients information to help them make smart dietary and health choices. By the end of 2017, we will provide nutritional and ingredients information on at least 80% of the beer we sell in the EU. This requires the design and production of new labels, beer cans and secondary packaging. In time, each bottle and can will carry information on the ingredients and the calories they contain.

The Brewers of Europe have committed to providing full information on ingredients and nutritional values per 100ml either on label and/or online. Our pledge goes above and beyond this minimum commitment by:

• Placing full ingredients list and energy information on primary packs. Wherever space permits, primary packaging will also include the full Big 7.

• Providing not only the mandatory nutritional information per 100ml, which is the standard in EU law for non-alcoholic beverages, but also the typical serving size of a given brand – which in most cases is the content of a single serve can or bottle.

• Providing a full list of ingredients, energy and other nutritional information on all brands online via Tapintoyourbeer.com. Nutritional values are indicated per 100ml and in every portion size that is available in the selected country. A link to this website is mentioned on the beer labels so that consumers can easily access the information with their smartphones.

The implementation of this approach includes all of our beers with an ABV (alcohol by volume) of at least 1.2%.

These commitments on consumer information are part of our broader ambition to encourage consumers to make smart drinking decisions. By going beyond existing regulations, the company wants to provide an example that others can follow and to make full consumer information on beer “the new normal”.

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Heleen Vanhoudt

CSR & External Communications Officer Europe

As CSR officer at AB InBev, I have the opportunity to combine my passion for corporate communication and my love for beer. I am convinced that an open dialogue between a company and its stakeholders is key for building sustainable relationships. As beer is the original social network, it brings people together. Through this blog, I also hope to bring people together and share our stories about our contribution to build a better world.